Fan of the Fan

Woofstock–a family-friendly dog festival to benefit the Richmond Animal League–takes place Saturday, May 30th from 10 AM-4 PM on Monument Avenue between Allen and Lombardy.

Around Earth Day we posted about the City’s Adopt-a-Tree program, where residents can purchase a tree (planted by the City’s Department of Urban Forestry) for $50, assuming they agree to tend to the tree for 2 years. The Fan District Association has announced that they are subsidizing the program:

For the low, low price of $25, any homeowner in the Fan can purchase a tree. The city charges $50 for a tree. Starting this summer, the FDA will pay half the price, $25, for a tree planted in a public tree well in front of or adjacent to your Fan residence. Residents may also obtain a free tree for an “orphan” tree well — an empty tree well adjacent to property with no identifiable caretaker or a non-resident owner. In this case, the FDA will pay the entire $50 for each tree.”

Checks for the trees must be sent along with completed application to the FDA, not to the City. For further details, check out the latest issues of Fanfare available on FDA website.

We posted on this earlier, but there’s more happening with Paradise Park. First, there’s a website dedicated to this ‘pocket park’ between Grove and Floyd and Allen and Vine. And second, there’s a meeting scheduled in the park this coming Wednesday (June 3rd) at 6 PM for a ‘Friends of the Park’ organizational meeting.

The website includes history of the park and links to even more info.

The park was designed by architect Carlton Abbott, who presented his design in November 1970.In 1972, the City of Richmond declared the necessity for the parks and began, through the enactment of various ordinances, the process of acquiring land within two city blocks for the purpose of establishing two new parks within the Fan District: Paradise Park and Scuffletown Park. Following resolution of permit delays, contractor W.M. Walder, Jr., Inc. began construction in 1973.

The Richmond Police Department has issued an advisory saying they are investigating two recent assaults on women in the Fan. There is no conclusive evidence that the assaults are related, but similarities suggest they may be.

Both incidents occurred on the street shortly after 2 a.m. as the victims were walking from restaurants along West Main Street in the Fan area. The suspect in both these cases is described as a Latino male, medium build, approximately 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, with dark spiky hair.

Michael Signer, a candidate for Virginia lieutenant governor, opened his Richmond campaign office in the Fan at 10 N. Robinson Street earlier this month.

The RTD has an article about Signer’s race in the Democratic primary against Jody Wagner; a race that isn’t getting much attention given the intense 3-way battle for the Democratic governor nomination.

Signer is a 36-year old UVA law grad who worked as a strategist for then-governor Mark Warner. He seeks to use the lieutenant governor position as one of stronger advocacy:

“I believe in the power of activism,” he said. “We can do much more to ride herd [sic] on government and agencies and be a people’s representative in a system that is failing them too often.”

At the Fan District Association’s Meeting on Tuesday four new members were elected to serve from 2009-2012: John Gilbody, Betsy Coffield, Sanford Dallas, and Denny Fox. To read about them (and see pictures!) click here.

The new butterfly garden opens this Friday at Lewis Ginter.  Also, now through June 7th, it’s a million blooms (roses are blooming right now).  Lastly, did you see the lineup for Groovin’ in the Garden?  Seriously, it’s all bands I’ve heard of.  (Well, 5 out of 6 ain’t bad) Go to their website to learn more.

photo from Mark Gormus, RTD

The RTD has a nice profile of Binford Middle School Spanish teacher Chris Mercer, who is also an assistant coach for the Thomas Jefferson High School Baseball team. It discusses Mercer’s mission to bring baseball back to the city schools in a meaningful way that emphasizes not only sports, but also character. He calls it 3-D Baseball; standing for dignity, discipline, and dedication.

It is, thanks to Chris Mercer, a Spanish teacher at Binford Middle School whose one-man mission of improving city baseball has found a team of converts at T.J. and another at Binford.

A decade after playing at T.J., Mercer is back as an assistant coach. But he’s more than a hit-’em-grounders guy. He has created a program geared to improving the way the game is played — and the way the players carry themselves. He’s teaching it to the T.J. players. And they, in turn, are teaching it to the players at Binford.

We love Kendra Feather, owner of Ipanema and (soon-to-open) Garnett’s Cafe. Brandon Eats has posted an article about Feather, which includes more details on Garnett’s.

Feather says, of her philosophy on food:

“Food is a way to connect with people. It’s a way to care for them . . . I come from the school of thought says, ‘a piece of pie can make everything better.’”